Government seizes fake gadgets

An estimated P70-million worth of counterfeit smart phones, electronic gadgets and accessories were seized by an inter-agency raid on a warehouse in Binondo, Manila on Monday. The Bureau of Customs (BoC) said that some of the seized items do not have the ICC marks, which is required for imported electronic products and accessories. Director Benjamin Magalong of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said that the raid was based on the warrant of seizure and detention issued by Brig. General Mario Mendoza, District Collector of the Port of Manila. Among the counterfeit items seized by authorities are Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy Note, Samsung Galaxy Grand, Iphone 5c, Iphone 5s, Iphone 4s, Nokia Duos, assorted Android tablets of various brands, Apple Shuffle, smartphone casings, power banks, juice blender, and Lacoste perfumes among others. The raided warehouse belongs to LFA Enterprises, which reportedly claims to be the number one supplier of electronic gadgets, toiletries, small home appliances, and accessories to various popular online shopping sites in the Philippines. The National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) earlier reported that the government has already seized P13.3-Billion worth of fake goods in the first 11 months of the year with the biggest contribution coming from the joint operations conducted by the Customs, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Police and the Intellectual Property Office.